Welcome to Litsy!

Inspired by the story of Noah‘s Ark, this book explores the impact of prejudice against those different from us. Using the imagery of an apple, the book shows how even utopia can be rotten at its core. There is poison hiding in the seed that fruits into a blessing in the most desperate of circumstances. This book was tragic - not one of the best works I have read - but heartbreaking. I can‘t believe we humans have done this to others in the past.

Quick novel about a mixed race community. Written well, and the plot moves quickly. Characters were interesting and I wanted a bit more- great sign.

I went into this book not knowing much about it, & learned that Harding took the real life story of the eviction of the Malaga residents & fictionalised it in this story about Apple Island & its people. The result, to me, is a beautiful & grim story about race & eugenics & colonisation, though the story itself isn't "about" those issues. It's a slim book that packs a punch. The POV shifts between individual voices & it gives the residents of the

Everything that happened before happens again. The colonial past is always the present.

✅ Beautiful book. 🎧

Pre-SuperBowl reading.😆will definitely be reading through the Super Bowl my team is out so reading it is!❤️

This member of the Booker shortlist was actually quite good. I am currently stalled on a different one. I was not impressed with the selection this year. But this one has something special going for it imo.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Harding uses the idea of Malaga island, whose mix-raced population was evicted in 1912, seemingly as an excuse to explore prose. He seems especially interested in mental textures, blending memory, environment and circumstance. It comes out slow. This is elegant in its own way, but requires a whole lot of patience and willingness of the reader to sit in and explore his sentences. (I got a little impatient at times😁)

#tob24

I wanted so much more from this book. Paul Harding has presented a heart-wrenching story with beautiful prose. I have enjoyed other books by him previously, but the vast time frame with the large cast of characters did not feel fully explored for my tastes in this short read.

I do love that Harding introduced me to something I knew nothing about before reading this book. Now I plan on researching more about Malaga Island.

After reading all of the so-so reviews my expectations were low but I ended up loving this book. Beautifully written and heart wrenching this story was based on in true events which makes it even more difficult to worry about the characters after the story ended. I haven‘t read Tinkers but think I should correct that.

This booker shortlisted novel tells the tale of the forced eviction of the inhabitants of a small island off the coast of maine. The occupants descend from a mixed racial couple who seek to grow apples there + it then becomes a haven for people of different racial origin + colour who escape to this home. In 1912 the moral majority on the mainland informed by eugenics are offended by the islands population. The story is very sad but absorbing.

Paul Harding‘s previous novel, Tinkers, was exquisite. This book has Harding‘s same attention to language and interior life. A group of mixed raced families are forced to leave their homes on an island off the coast of Maine in the early 1900s. This is a fictional account based on the history of Malaga Island. I had no knowledge of this island or it‘s history before picking up this book. The novel explores racism, poverty, family, and education.

I‘m glad to see I‘m in good company with my thoughts about this one. What a great premise, but I felt held at arm‘s length and couldn‘t get invested in the characters or story. This felt like a missed opportunity to me and I‘m perplexed that this book is on both the Booker and NBA longlists.

I fell in love with Harding‘s elegant, understated prose years ago with his debut. I think I prefer Tinkers, but still really liked this and can see why it is making prize lists (Booker, NBA). A heart-wrenching story inspired by some very troubling and shameful history. It‘s on the shorter side (221 pages), but it isn‘t one to breeze through. Best for when you‘re feeling focused and are prepared to take your time.

Hmmm... by turns desperately sad and maddening (on account of the ruinous prejudices of well-off white folk masquerading as reason and good intentions. The usual, in other words.). It didn't quite "land" for me. I enjoyed the writing but - and I haven't worked out why - the effect is curiously muffled, such that I struggled to connect to or feel anything much for the characters. Why keep the reader at arm's length like that? Perplexing.

#SummerEndReadathon

A small island community that survives despite all the adversity it faces until the government makes a decision that changes their lives forever. I haven‘t read enough of the Booker long list to say whether or not it should be short listed but it was a good read

A fictionalized story of the inhabitants of Malaga Island, off the coast of Maine, who were forcibly removed. This is a quiet but heartbreaking story of one of the first integrated spaces in the US. It‘s history I‘m glad I learned about, but I‘m having a hard time enjoying the Booker Longlist, so I‘m taking a break. Pictured are children from Malaga Island. #Booked2024 set in a neighborhood

A subtly told story, heavily influenced by the real events. It's a very emotionally charged, immersive story and I found the paralells with real events particularly particularly interesting. It explores themes of race in understated ways. Although the novel builds towards a devastaing conclusion which doesn't come as a surprise to the reader at all, the way we reach this is tied so closely to the deeply-drawn individual characters.

#booker23 6/13

The setting of the story is very interesting: an island off the coast of Maine, where castaways for generations have build their home. In the early 1900s the authorities decide to make an end to this situation.
I‘d have loved to hear more about this island, its history and what happened with the inhabitants. Instead Harding fictionalizes the story and I never felt connected to the characters ⬇️

#BookReport

Continued reading The Pickwick Papers and I‘ve still some catching up to do

I kept on reading Femina and will hopefully finish it by tomorrow‘s weekly forecast

I continued listening to This Other Eden and am seriously considering DNFing. I‘m not sure if its only the audio narrator or the book too, but I can‘t seem to focus on the story

I finished Mjøsa rundt med mor

I‘m currently reading Biography of X and hope to finish today

A small group of racially diverse people inhabit an island off the coast of Maine in the late 1800s. An insular community, with few resources and “officials” want them removed. I love the premise of this book but the way the story unfolded did little for me. I concur with @TheKidUpstairs review of this one. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I do think it would have been a better physical read instead of audio, and that‘s on me.

#WeeklyForecast 34/23

I am reading Good Night, Irene for #CampToB and not sure what to think about it yet. I also have another #Booker23 lined up (the tagged). The other two I am looking extremely forward to!

#WeeklyForecast

I want to continue reading/ catching up on The Pickwick Papers

I will continue reading Femina

I just started a memoir by Hatterud. I read his newest book earlier this summer and want to read more

I will continue my audio of the tagged

Hopefully I get a start on Biography of X

ESTHER SAT IN her chair, smoking, watching her granddaughters come across the channel and the dog take one of them by the scruff and her grandson run down to the beach and meet them and help them with their baskets and, probably, tease them about getting caught behind the tide. He was so good to them. And they were good to him. Love, pure and simple....

Soon enough, Pharaoh will come after us, like he always does.

I think I'm on the minority here, but this didn't quite hit the mark for me. Some wonderful writing, and occasionally the story sang, but overall it was a heartbreaking story that failed to make me feel anything at all. Part two, when the story focused in on Ethan and Bridget, was the most effective. I think that if the book had focused on one character or one family, it would have been more effective. Or, a longer book that gave each (cont'd)

It‘s the first book of this year‘s #BookerPrizelonglist that I‘ve read but I declare it the winner. Too soon? Based on a true story of the interracial inhabitants of an island of the coast of Maine who are forcibly removed in the early 1900‘s. The writing is so beautiful and so moving … you feel the sun, you hear the sea … and my pace of reading slowed way down to take in the setting and situations. (Maine eventually apologized for their actions.)

Escaped my house to sit in the sunshine with this one for a while before the storms hit!

#BookerPrizeLonglist

Beautifully written with rhythm and musicality. I could feel the sea air and loved the eccentric characters. A slow burn. Deserving of its Booker long listing. Love to know what others thought of this one! Our discussion is up now on Books On The Go pod. 🎧

Took a bit to get into the story, and required close reading as several explanations were very subtle. I enjoyed it in the end - moving story about family and belonging and the importance of place

Beautiful prose for such a dispiriting story based on actual events. 😢 To think of all the tragedies and injustices done under the auspices of moral authority.

I listened to the audio, but I‘m certain it would be better in print.